Turkmenistan to stop gas supplies to Ukraine

Turkmenistan will stop supplying gas to Ukraine starting January 1, 2005. The Foreign Ministry of this country issued a corresponding statement saying that Turkmenistan has emphasized its readiness to hold talks on gas supplies with Kiev, but Ukraine seems to be uneager to negotiate. As experts of the two countries failed to agree on price for gas supplies, Turkmenistan has to stop delivery of gas to Ukraine starting December 31, 2004. The supplies will be interrupted until new agreements are signed, the ministry stressed in the released statement. The decision is not politically motivated and is due to formal issues, is said. Turkmenistan transports gas to Ukraine via Russia and provides Ukraine with about 50 percent of gas consumed there. It has stopped gas supplies to Russia after Turkmenistan had decided to increase prices, but these supplies could resume as soon as in the middle of January, as the two sides addressed the issue once again after the recent meeting of their presidents.